Budget impact analysis of cenobamate for epilepsy patients with drug-resistant focal onset seizures in the Netherlands.

Objective: The objective of this study was to explore the financial consequences of adopting cenobamate as a treatment alternative in epilepsy patients with drug-resistant focal onset seizures (FOS) from a societal perspective in the Netherlands.

Methods: A previous budget impact model with a 5-year time horizon was adapted to the Dutch setting accounting for the eligible population, real-world market shares, treatment effectiveness and resource use in two scenarios: cenobamate with constant market share versus cenobamate with linearly increased market share up to 20%. Clinical inputs included treatment response, seizure reduction and adverse events.

Prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea at an outpatient memory clinic.

Objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep disorder that has several health hazards, including cognitive dysfunction. Studies have thus far primarily focussed on the prevalence of cognitive impairment in patients diagnosed with OSA at sleep clinics. The present study aims to investigate the prevalence of OSA at an outpatient memory clinic.

Review on the relevance of therapeutic drug monitoring of levetiracetam.

Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) of anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) is not routinely performed, although this can guide the dosage regimen to achieve greater efficacy and safety. Levetiracetam (LEV) has been introduced as an AED with an almost perfect pharmacokinetic (PK) profile. Nonetheless, recent research challenges this statement and therefore we aimed to explore factors that modify LEV PK.

Myasthenia gravis with muscle specific kinase antibodies mimicking amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Muscle-specific kinase (MuSK) myasthenia gravis (MG) is hallmarked by the predominant involvement of bulbar muscles and muscle atrophy. This might mimic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) presenting with bulbar weakness. We encountered four cases of MuSK MG patients with an initial misdiagnosis of ALS.

Association between Perivascular Spaces and Progression of White Matter Hyperintensities in Lacunar Stroke Patients.

Objectives: Perivascular spaces are associated with MRI markers of cerebral small vessel disease, including white matter hyperintensities. Although perivascular spaces are considered to be an early MRI marker of cerebral small vessel disease, it is unknown whether they are associated with further progression of MRI markers, especially white matter hyperintensities. We determined the association between perivascular spaces and progression of white matter hyperintensities after 2-year follow-up in lacunar stroke patients.

Ambulatory arterial stiffness index is not associated with magnetic resonance imaging markers of cerebral small vessel disease in lacunar stroke patients.

Ambulatory arterial stiffness index (AASI) is associated with microvascular damage in other organs, but the association with microvascular brain damage is unknown. The association of AASI with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) markers of cerebral small vessel disease in 143 patients with lacunar stroke was investigated. We performed 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and scored the presence of lacunes, white matter hyperintensities, perivascular spaces, and cerebral microbleeds on brain MRI.

Ambulatory blood pressure in patients with lacunar stroke: association with total MRI burden of cerebral small vessel disease.

Background And Purpose: Asymptomatic lacunar infarcts, white matter lesions, cerebral microbleeds, and enlarged perivascular spaces are MRI markers of cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD). Higher blood pressure (BP) levels are associated with the presence of these markers separately, but the association with the total burden of cSVD on brain MRI, expressed by the simultaneous presence of multiple markers of cSVD (a compound score), has not been investigated.

Methods: We performed 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring in 122 patients with first-ever lacunar stroke.

Higher ambulatory blood pressure relates to new cerebral microbleeds: 2-year follow-up study in lacunar stroke patients.

Background And Purpose: Elevated blood pressure (BP) is associated with the presence of cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) in cross-sectional studies. However, longitudinal studies did not show a convincing relationship. We aimed to determine the association between elevated BP levels and the occurrence of new CMBs after a 2-year follow-up in first-ever lacunar stroke patients using ambulatory BP monitoring.

Higher ambulatory blood pressure relates to enlarged Virchow-Robin spaces in first-ever lacunar stroke patients.

Enlarged Virchow-Robin spaces (EVRS) are considered to be a sign of cerebral small vessel disease. Hypertension is an important risk factor for cerebral small vessel disease, whereas ambulatory blood pressure (BP) is the strongest predictor of hypertension-related brain damage. However, the association between ambulatory BP levels and EVRS has never been investigated.